Thursday, October 30, 2008

Halloween Series: Meet a Real Witch

As part of my week-long Halloween series, today I present a post about Witches. Not the kind in Harry Potter or the Wizard of Oz, but rather a world-famous real living Witch, Laurie Cabot. Laurie is one of the most well known Witches in the world, who popularized modern Witchcraft here in the US nearly 40 years ago. She has written several books: The Power of the Witch, The Witch in Every Woman, and Celebrate the Earth. She has also founded the Cabot Tradition of the Science of Witchcraft and many years ago co-founded the Witches' League for Public Awarenessand Project Witches Protection to defend the civil rights of Witches. Laurie is 75 years old and lives in Salem, Massachusetts where she runs a Witch supply shop called The Cat, the Crow, and the Crown. The following information about Witches is directly from her website:"Do's and Don'ts of the Craft":

1. Witches do not do evil - They believe that doing evil and harm is against all ethical and moral laws. Further, Witchcraft tells us: "An ye harm none (not even yourself), do what ye will."

2. Witches do not worship Satan - They do not have a Satan/Devil or any all-evil deity in their religious structure. Witchcraft is a religion that underscores polarity and views God and Goddess as equal entities.3. A male witch is not a Warlock - The word "Warlock" is a Scottish word meaning "oath breaker" and became a term designating a male Witch during the "burning times" (i.e.; the Inquisition). Male as well as female practitioners of the Craft are known as Witches.4. Witches wear clothing of every color and every style - Many Witches do choose to wear black clothing or ritual robes. The color black is the culmination of all vibrational rates of light on the material plane. Black absorbs light information and helps Witches be more receptive to psychic impressions and energies.

5. Witches come from every socio-economic and ethnic background - Many witches are professional people holding positions of responsibility such as Doctors, Nurses, Police Officers, Teachers, etc. Witchcraft does not discriminate against color or ethnic origin and does view everything as equal in the eyes of the Goddess and God.

6. Witches do use spells - A spell is a thought, a projection, or a prayer. Other religions use prayer, meditation, projection and ritual to produce an intended result. The word "spell" does not imply doing evil or harm.

7. Witches do use magic wands - Often you see the use of magic wands in children's cartoons and movies making the idea seem frivolous. In actuality the magic wands are used in healing for directing energy.

8.Witches do use Witchcraft as a science, an art and a religion - They use their knowledge and magic in harmony with the Universe and Nature around them.

9.The word "Witch" has a deep and rich history - As defined by the Oxford English Dictionary "Witchcraft" is a Celtic word meaning the wise, good people. "Wicce" designates a female Witch where as "Wicca" designates a male Witch.10. In the religion of Witchcraft the pentacle is viewed as an amulet and a symbol for protection- The five-pointed star represents the human body and the earth. In combination, the star surrounded by the circle represents the human body encompassed by the protection of the Goddess/God force. The pentacle is the symbol for Universal Wisdom.

11. Witches concern themselves with ecology - They have never forgotten this basic fact: the World is not our enemy. Neither is it inert, dumb matter. The Earth and all living things share the same life-force. They are composed of patterns of intelligence, of knowledge, and of divinity. All life is a web. We are woven into it as sisters and brothers of all. Witches need to be grounded in both worlds and awake to their responsibilities for both worlds. It is only being responsible human beings that we can be responsible Witches, and only responsible Witches will survive.**Excerpt from "Power of the Witch" by Laurie Cabot,DelacourtPress. (Dell Publishing) N.Y., N.Y., October 1989

I think that too many people confuse pentacle and pentagram. They are not the same and they have different meanings. I studied witchcraft for awhile. I can't believe that in 2008 so many people still hold on to such a negative image of witches.... Nice post :)

To be a truly good person is to be impersonal to others. I myself do believe that these things are real and much more than that. It is good to know the real truth about witches just as it is good to know the real truth about everything else. I am now glad to say, after years of confusion, " It is not the power given that determines whether you are good or evil, for it is how you use it." It's a great post!

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Rick Rockhill

Pet Industry Veteran. Public Speaker. Biz Consultant. Most of this personal blog is just for fun.